Sealing means for containers



W. L. SNYDER SEALING MEANS FOR CONTAINERS A R-i111 w, m

Filed April 25, 195% INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 30, 1935 UNITED 2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in sealing means for jars andlike containers.

The principal object of the invention is to provide means formaintaining the top of a jar or similar container in intimate contactwith the container.

A further object is to produce a device which may be removed andreplaced at will.

Another object is to produce a device which is economical to manufactureand one which is simple in construction.

A still further object is to provide means whereby tools are notrequired to perform the con tracting or expanding operation.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of thefollowing description.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and inwhich like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout thesame,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a jar having myinventionapplied thereto,

- Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of the contractable ring in expandedposition, and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the ring and the manner inwhich the ends abut and engage each other.

There are many types of jars which are sealed,

during the canning process, with a strip of metal, which is afterwardsremoved in order to gain access to the contents of the jar. Upon theremoval of this strip the jar is permanently opened and cannot again besealed for the reason that the strip is destroyed. Applicant has,therefore, devised a metal strip which is economical to manufacture,which strip will not only form a seal during the packing operation, butmay form a seal after the jar has been opened as the strip is notdestroyed, and can be readily removed and. replaced by the user.

In the accompanying drawing wherein for the purpose of illustration isshown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 5 designatesthe jar preferably provided with a flange top 6. The numeral 1designates a top also having a flange portion 8 which abuts the flangeportion 6 of the jar. Any form of sealing means 9 may be employedbetween these flanges 6 and 3.

My invention consists of a ring H substantially U-shaped in crosssection and circular in general contour, the circle being split so as toform ends i2 and iii. A tongue M is formed upon the end it and has ahooked extremity it which is capable of entering a notch ll spaced ashort distance from the end ii. A slot i3 is capable of receiving thebail l9 pivotally carried at El by a pivoted lever 22.

The result of this construction is that when the contractable ring 5 iis placed about the periphery of flanges 9 and ii, the taper of theU-shaped cross section will tend to pull the flanges toward each other,so as to compress the seal 9 and the ring is contracted through theengagement of the bail iii in the slot 5 8 by moving the lever 22 in thedirection or" the arrow of Fig. 4. As soon as the bail engages the slot5 8, the lever is moved in the opposite direction, and to the positionof Fig. 3, which results in the tongue Mi sliding over the end 52 of thering and finally engaging the slot ll, thus locking the two sections ofth ring together.

It will thus be seen that my device will accomplish all the objectsabove set forth.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown anddescribed is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and thatvarious changes relative to the material, size, shape and arrangement ofparts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of theinvention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I c1aim:--

l. A sealing means for containers, comprising a split ring having aU-shaped cross section, a tongue formed on one end of said split ring, ahook formed on said tongue, and means for moving said tongue over theouter surface of said ring, said means embodying a pivoted lever and abail member pivoted to said lever, and retaining means comprising anotch capable of engaging said hooked end.

2. In a device of the character described, a split ring having aU-shaped cross section, said ring having a slot formed therein and anotch adjacent thereto, a tongue formed on the opposite end of said ringfrom theend carrying said notch, a hooked end formed on said tongue anda contractor pivotally mounted on said tongue bearing end of the ring,said contractor including a pivoted lever and a bail, said bail being inturn pivoted to said lever and capable of engaging said slot, wherebythe hooked end of said tongue may be brought into engagement with saidnotch to draw the ends of said ring together.

WALTER L. SNYDER.

